Nail-holding attachment for hammers



(No Model.)

J. H. BAKER.

NAIL HOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR HAMMERS. No. 87 -946. Patented Mar. 6, 1888.

PATENT Fries.

JOHN H: BAKER, OF AURELIUS, NEW YORK.

NAIL-HOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR HAMMERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 378,946, dated March 6, 1888.

Application filed October 19. 1887.

.skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to devices for holding nails or like articles in position preparatory to driving them into any opposing substance.

The object of my invention is to provide a suitable device which may be applied to hammer-handles or handles of similar instruments, and which will effectually hold in place a nail, screw, tack, or like article to be driven into wood or other material, until it is inserted a sufficient distance into the opposing substance to maintain its own position.

One of the chief advantages of my invention is that a person working with it need use but one hand, and at the same time can operate accurately and easily as high or as low as the combined length of his arm and instrument permits, while ordinarily any one desiring to drive a nail must hold it in position with one hand and strike the blow with the hammer held in the other, which is both awkward and dangerous.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I have illustrated it in the accompanying drawings and have described it in the specifioation'and claims following.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hammer with my device attached to the handle. Fig. 2 is a similarview showing mode of attachment, the hammer being upon its side and a nail inserted in the holder or grip. Figs. 3, 4., and 5 are detail views of the different parts of my device, and Fig, 6 is a modification of my invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate identical parts throughout.

The main body of my improved holder or grip is substantially of the form shown in Fig, 3, and consists of the plate A, the under side of which is slightly concave, provided with openings a. The upper side of the plate A is Serial No. 252,827. (No model.)

partially flat, as at B, and extending forward and from this flat portion is the arm 0, cast integral with the plate or rigidly secured to it. This arm forms the fixed jaw of the holder.

The flat portion Bis provided with a pivot, [2, upon which is mounted the movable jaw D. This movable jaw D is preferably of the form shown in Fig. 4, and has a rearwardly-extending arm, D, which enables the operator to move thejaw with the same hand which grasps the hammer. The form of this part of my device,however,may be considerably modified Without departing from the spirit of my invention. The cap .E, Fig. 5, is also concave and is of the same size as the plate A. This cap is provided with openings or, which are preferably circular and screw threaded.

The manner of attaching my grip or holder to a hammer or other handle is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The concave sides of the plate and cap are placed upon the handle, and screws d are passed through the openings a of the plate and screwed into the cap E until the holder or grip is firmly secured. I do not limit myself to this mode of fastening, however, as bolts and nuts or other means may be employed to accomplish the same result.

The operation of my device is apparent. A nail, F, is placed between the jaws O D and the rearwardly-extending arm D of the latter depressed until the article between the jaws is firmly gripped. The forwardly-extending ends of the jaws are adjacent to the side of the hammer, so that when the nail is secured the head will be between the jaws and the hammer, as shown in Fig. 3, and a blow will be sufficient to start the nail. The grip is then loosened by releasing the movable arm, leaving the nail in place, and it can then be driven at will.

- The under side of the cap E may be corru: gated, as shown in Fig. 5, to insure a firmer hold upon the handle.

Instead of the plate and cap being c0nstructed as heretofore described, I can combine the two, as shown in Fig. 6, by means of a hinge, H, and then secure the device to the handle by means of a bolt, K.

\Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A nail-holding attachment for hammers,

consisting of a plate removably connected to the niovablejaw being provided with a lever the hammer-handle, a jaw rigidly connected for holding said jaw in operative position, the tosaid plate, andan'iovablejaw pivoted theresaid jaws having straight inner faces and [5 on, the movablejaw being provided with a leadapted to extend over and adjacent to a por- 5 ver for holding said jaw in operative positionof the hammer, substantially as described. tion, the said jaws being adapted to extend In testimony whereof Iaffix my signatnrcin over and adjacent to aportion of the hammer, presence of two witnesses. substantially as described. 77 T I v a 2. A nail-holding attachment for hanin ers, Jon} BARLR' IO consisting of a plate reinovably connected to \Vitnesses:

l the hammer-handle, ajaw rigidly connected to \V. M. BRINKERHOFF, said plate, and a movablejaw pivoted thereon,

(J. T. SHELDON. 

